Bonnie returned to the island and first went to tell Grandma that she was going to the beach.
"Bonnie, be careful. Don't be careless just because you're a good swimmer."
"Okay, Grandma, don't worry, I'll be back in a bit."
Bonnie quickly walked away with her basket on her back, leaving only her voice behind.
After successfully arriving at her secret base and confirming that her belongings were intact, she began scooping sea cucumbers and abalone into the basket. Bonnie didn't miss any other rare seafood either, picking out the largest ones and filling them all up.
She quickly returned to shore, changed her clothes in the cave, and then rushed back to her parents' home, afraid that her grandmother would worry.
"Quickly, drink a bowl of ginger and brown sugar water."
Grandma was boiling ginger and brown sugar water in a pot. When she saw Bonnie come in, she quickly told her to drink a big bowl of it, so she wouldn't catch a cold.
“Baoni drank a whole bowl of water and broke out in a sweat. Grandma, I’m warm now. I changed into dry clothes as soon as I got out of the water, so I didn’t get cold.”
"You guys, relying on your youth and good health, don't take care of yourselves. When you get old, all sorts of problems will come your way..."
Bonnie listened to her grandmother's rambling with a smile, feeling a warm and comforting feeling.
After resting for a while, Bonnie went to her uncle's house again and asked him to come with her to the island the next day. She didn't say what they would do, but her uncle happily agreed, assuring her that his niece wouldn't mistreat him.
"Take some money with you tomorrow and treat Bonnie to something nice for lunch. You've been eating so much good food from Bonnie lately, even the kids are benefiting from it."
"I know, honey, I understand. Our Bao Ni is generous and has a good sense of justice. We're family, and she understands that we should get along without any grudges."
Uncle Lin may look carefree, but he knows exactly what's going on.
The next day, Bonnie and her uncle, carrying baskets on their backs, boarded the boat and left the island.
"Uncle, I know an uncle who is the head chef of Sihaiju State-owned Restaurant. There's an opportunity for him. They're looking to hire a chef with some culinary skills. If you pass the assessment, you can start as an apprentice and eventually become a full-time employee."
"Bonnie, are you telling the truth!"
Uncle Lin hadn't been paying attention at first, thinking that Bao Ni was taking him to Si Hai Ju restaurant. He was still calculating how many dishes he could afford, since his Bao Ni had quite an appetite. Only after hearing the rest did he realize what was going on.
"You startled me. Keep your voice down. This is just one chance. Whether it works or not, you'll have to try it out in a bit."
"My dear niece, from now on, your uncle will listen to everything you say, hehe..."
Bonnie looked at her silly-looking uncle and felt quite envious. It's a blessing to find something you love to do. Many people don't know what they like and just drift along to make a living.
Before entering Sihaiju, Uncle pulled Bonnie aside and said, "Look how neat my clothes are. Knowing this was going to happen, I changed into a nice outfit. The clothes I wore when I got married to your aunt are still very new!"
"Uncle, this outfit is great, clean and tidy. You're the best, keep it up!"
The two carried baskets into Sihaiju Restaurant, where Uncle Ye was already waiting in the lobby.
"Bonnie, over here."
"Uncle Ye."
Bonnie gestured for her uncle to follow, and they walked up to Chef Ye.
"Uncle Ye, this is my uncle Lin Zhiqiang. He likes to cook and his skills are pretty good. Could you give him some pointers later?"
"Master Ye, I...I...please give me your guidance."
Lin Zhiqiang was a little excited and somewhat incoherent.
"Just call me Chef Ye. I'm a longtime friend of Bonnie's. I'll take you to the kitchen in a bit, don't be nervous."
After Master Ye finished speaking, he turned to look at the basket that Bonnie had brought, wondering about its quality.
"Uncle Ye, look, I fished this out yesterday and kept it overnight."
Chefs love good ingredients, and Chef Ye didn't refuse. He opened the lid of his basket and took out a large abalone. "Excellent! This size is top-notch!" he exclaimed. Then he took out a sea cucumber, also of superior quality.
“Bonnie, I’ll keep all this seafood. In the past, it would have been worth a fortune, but now…”
"Uncle Ye, times have changed. We can't compare things to before. You decide how many to replace. I'll do whatever you say."
Master Ye enjoys dealing with people like Bonnie, who is sensible and not petty. That's why they've been able to work together for so many years and become close friends despite their age difference.
"Okay, I'll empty the seafood and put it into these two baskets for you in a bit. I'll take your uncle to the kitchen first, you wait here."
"Okay, Uncle Ye, no rush, there's still time to set sail. Uncle, don't be nervous, just do your best, I believe in you. You and Uncle Ye go ahead, I'm going to the restroom, I'll wait for you here in a bit."
Bonnie noticed that her uncle was a little nervous, so she cheered him on.
Uncle carried a basket and went into the kitchen with Master Ye, while Bonnie went out to use the restroom.
There was a public restroom not far from the state-run restaurant. Bonnie took a deep breath and went inside. After quickly relieving herself, she straightened her pants and walked out.
"Oh my god! You..."
"Shh, please."
A young man carrying a basket on his back rushed in. He was startled when he saw Bonnie, and put his hands together, begging her not to shout.
A commotion arose in the distance: "Look carefully, they can't have gone far."
"We absolutely cannot let him get away. I want to see who it is!"
Bonnie walked out without saying a word; this was to catch those who were catching speculators and profiteers.
She took a few quick steps, her face full of anger.
"Comrade, have you seen a man carrying a basket on his back? He's that tall."
The leader gestured with his hands and asked Bonnie.
"Was he wearing gray clothes? You should look for him. I'm angry too. I just came out and someone bumped into me, almost knocking me over. I don't know what was he in such a hurry. He bumped into me and didn't even apologize. So rude! If you find him, tell him to be careful when he walks."
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